Chris Young. Garden Design

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Case study: design inspirations

The clients for this small suburban garden gave designer Chris

Parsons of Hallam Garden Design an open brief, and simply

asked her to remove the lawn and large hedges that surrounded

the property, both of which were becoming too much work

to maintain. They were aiming for a garden with a dramatic

new look that would address their love of plants, and which

BUBBLE PLAN

To begin the design process, Chris drew up

a rough bubble plan of the space, sketching

out the areas she wanted to include. The

site’s aspect determined the choice of

plants, with drought-tolerant prairie plants

in the sunny areas, and trees in the shady

north-facing garden.

WOODLAND AREAS

Chris loves silver birch trees (Betula), especially the

striking effect their white trunks create when the

canopies are bare in winter. She was inspired by the

designs at Alnwick Garden in Northumberland, UK

and the modern design by Charles Funke outside Tate

Modern in London. These gardens helped to convince

her that the slim, elegant trees would work well in the

limited space available in the Collins’ garden.

KEY

Woodland areas

Main seating area

Front garden

prairie planting

DESIGNERS’ FAVORITE

The light canopies of birches make

them ideal for small gardens, and their

white stems create dramatic patterns

when the trees are planted in groups.

OAK PARK

Andy Sturgeon’s show garden for the

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2005 was

the inspiration for Chris’s use of oak

blocks for a water feature.

Entrance to house

from main road

THE ORIGINAL GARDEN

An imposing hedge surrounded the whole

property, blocking out light and creating too

much work for the owners, Godfrey and Ann

Collins. The three small lawns that formed

the focus of each section of the garden were

patchy, difﬁcult to mow, and provided no

level areas for seating, which the couple

desperately wanted.

An unsightly black Tarmac path led from

the street to the front door, and another path

linked the back door to the garage. The

outlook from the kitchen window was just a

bank of mature shrubs, which made the

property feel dark and gloomy, and the

back of the house, which is overlooked by

neighbors on two sides, needed screening

to create a more private space.

The couple have both recently retired and

wanted to spend more time in their garden.

Godfrey has always loved plants, and was

keen that the new design allowed him scope

to add new purchases and to maintain the

ﬂower beds, but without the hard work of

weekly mowing. He had also seen pictures of

meadow and prairie planting and liked the

idea of a mix of ﬂowers and grasses. The

couple were also looking for space to

entertain friends, and asked Chris to include

lighting to extend their enjoyment of the

garden on warm summer evenings.

they could spend a few hours each week maintaining. With

almost a blank canvas to work on, Chris sought inspiration

from many sources, including Piet Oudolf’s spectacular

perennial planting designs, one of Andy Sturgeon’s RHS Chelsea

Flower Show gardens, and the landscaping outside Tate Modern

in London by Charles Funke.

MAIN

SEATING

AREA

FRONT GARDEN

PRAIRIE PLANTING

HOUSE

WOODLAND

GARDEN

RAISED

LEVELS

GARAGE

Driveway

entrance

SCREENING

PLANTS

HOW TO DESIGN

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SEATING AND LIGHTING

The furniture in the garden is rustic to match

the naturalistic style of the planting. Chris’s

clients were keen that the furniture was

sustainable and chose timber benches made

from wood accredited by the Forest

Stewardship Council (FSC). The lighting

effects are designed to pick out key features.

FURNITURE TAKES A BACK SEAT

Functional and inexpensive, the muted color of the

wooden bench complements the gravel’s sandy tones, and

contrasts with the planting, which takes center stage.

LONG-LASTING PERENNIALS

Chris has used a selection of perennials

with a long season of interest. Good

choices include Rudbeckia (below),

Echinacea, Phlomis, and Eupatorium.

COLOR ELEMENTS

For dramatic impact, plant

in large groups. Here,

swathes of tall grasses

(Panicum virgatum) are

interrupted by a mass of

bright Echinacea purpurea.

FROSTED STEMS

Piet Oudolf designs gardens

that are breathtaking in

both summer and winter,

when tall seedheads and

grasses remain and look

stunning rimed with frost.

SEASONAL VIEWS

Chris wanted to create

seating areas surrounded

by planting, where her

clients could enjoy the

changing seasons. Here,

light plays on the fall tints

in the tall grasses, an

effect she wanted to

capture in her design.

SUBTLE LIGHTING

The uplighter casings in

this design are screened

by Ophiopogon planted

in blocks, so that the

illumination effects, rather

than the lights themselves,

draw the eye. Chris used

this technique to light the

woodland garden.

THE FRONT GARDEN

Chris Parsons has long been a fan of

inﬂuential Dutch designer Piet Oudolf’s

perennial planting designs, in which he

weaves swathes of ﬂowers, such as Echinacea,

Hemerocallis, Sedum, and Eryngium, together

with grasses to produce a sea of color and

texture. She visited the Walled Garden at

Scampston Hall in North Yorkshire, UK,

asked Godfrey and Ann along too, so that

they could see the effect she had in mind for

their front garden. The couple loved the way

this planting style changes with the seasons.

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Case study: the ﬁnished plan

The ﬁnal design exploits the hilly site by creating layers of

interest, with each graveled terrace providing a vantage point

from which to view the decorative planting. The sunny front

garden is a haven for birds and insects, which feed on the

nectar-rich ﬂowers and grass seeds, while the garden to the

THE FINAL DESIGN

Before creating her ﬁnal plan, Chris completed

a full site survey, so that the contractors knew

the exact measurements of all new landscaping,

such as terraces, walls, and steps. She advises

new designers to seek professional help when

working on steep sites, or to take an advanced

course that shows them how to accurately

survey difﬁcult sites such as this.

WOODLAND PLANTING

Most of the soil in the new garden had to be

imported, because the original topsoil was

either removed during the building work or

contaminated by cement, and this is a factor

new designers may not foresee, or cost into

the price of the job. The new soil was then

tested and bulky manure added to this area

to ensure the trees would thrive.

Paved circle

BOUNDARY LINE

By the main seating area,

the trees act as a visual

barrier, preventing the

focus drifting beyond, and

creating a division between

the garden and drive.

NEW SCREENING

In this simple but effective

design, the Epimediums will

eventually spread to form a

carpet beneath three silver

birch, planted to screen

neighboring windows.

House

Main seating

area

Front

garden

Entrance to house from

main road

Pathways

Prairie-style

planting

THE GARDEN NOW

Chris’s new design has transformed muddy lawns with no character into

sun-drenched gravel gardens ﬁlled with ﬂowers and grasses, and where

there were overgrown shrubs, the clients can now enjoy elegant trees

underpinned with a rich mix of plants.

side of the house includes a table and bench for eating al

fresco. Cool and shady, the woodland area is shielded from

neighbors’ windows by three birch canopies and will feel more

enclosed when the yew hedge matures, while considered

lighting creates exciting shadow patterns in the evening.

HOW TO DESIGN

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Silver birch

trees

Driveway

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SEATING AREAS

The three parts of the garden each include

a seating area with a wooden bench from

which the clients can enjoy different views,

and these are linked by paved paths and

gravel surfaces which help to unify the design.

The gravel is set on a layer of compacted

graded base, but Chris has not used a

weed-suppressing membrane, as she wants

the ﬂowers and grasses to self-seed into the

stones and soften edges. The clients can weed

out any seedlings they don’t want to keep.

Woodland

garden

Garage

BUBBLING OVER

These gleaming bubble fountains emerge

from cubes made of oak, creating a simple

but effective statement in the corner of

the woodland garden.

PRIME LOCATION

The mix of planting in the border is

deliberately designed to be seen from

a variety of angles. The bench provides

the perfect viewing point.

GREEN GRASS OF HOME

Grasses add texture to this prairie-style

planting and include Anemanthele

lessoniana and Stipa calamagrostis.

IN FULL BLOOM

The ﬂowering plants here include Achillea

‘Terracotta’ (faded from its rusty color to

pale yellow) and Echinacea ‘Sunset’.

FRONT GARDEN

Visitors are welcomed to the property by

beds of dynamic prairie-style planting.

Grasses whisper and rustle in the breeze,

while the blooms of Echinacea and Sedum,

fringed by lower-growing Origanum

laevigatum ‘Herrenhausen’, form a dazzling

chorus that arrests attention and demands

closer inspection. This garden peaks in

summer when the perennials are in ﬂower,

but as fall approaches the ﬂowers’ seedheads

remain and mingle with the green and

sand-colored grasses to paint a more subtle,

but equally beautiful picture. The show

continues into winter when the scene

sparkles with frost as temperatures plummet.

Silver birch

trees

Water feature

MANAGING CHANGE

When dealing with a sloping site, it is

crucial to take accurate measurements for

all new landscaping. Here, shallow steps

manage a change in gradient.

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Planting the Achillea

in generous groups

mirrors its naturally

spreading habit

A second row of

purple-flowering

Origanum helps to

unify the planting

Waving fronds of Stipa

add another upright

element to the mix

The closely planted

Echinacea help to hold

each other up, so do not

require staking

The wispy seedheads

produced by Anemanthele

spill onto the path

during summer

Daylilies (Hemerocallis)

provide structural

foliage as well as

summer flowers

Hummock-forming

Origanum anchors the

dramatic forms above

HOWTODESIGN

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Case study: planting in focus

When Chris Parsons created this garden, she was careful to meet her clients’

needs, and also to ensure that the design and plants were appropriate for the

speciﬁc location, soil, and climate. You can adapt or copy these planting designs

if you have similar conditions in your garden.

PRAIRIE-STYLE PLANTING

The aim of prairie-style planting is to create a naturalistic colony

using a small palette of perennials and grasses, closely planted in

generous, interwoven groups. It is a low-maintenance technique,

as the plants are left to grow naturally, supporting each other and

suppressing weeds, then simply cut back each winter or spring.

KEY INGREDIENTS

1 Achillea ‘Terracotta’

The ﬂowers of this lacy-leaved

perennial fade from orange to

creamy-yellow as they age in summer.

2 Stipa calamagrostis

The arching leaves and feathery

ﬂowerheads combine well with

stout-stemmed perennials.

3 Echinacea ‘Sunset’

Flowering from midsummer to early

fall, the Echinacea adds a vivid

focal point to this border.

4 Hemerocallis ‘Corky’

The bright yellow, scented ﬂowers of

this evergreen daylily hold center stage

in the border during midsummer.

5 Origanum laevigatum ‘Herrenhausen’

Flowering from late spring to fall,

this evergreen perennial gives constant

color at the base of taller plants.

6 Anemanthele lessoniana

This evergreen grass develops rich,

autumnal coloring, providing interest

as the perennials ﬁnish ﬂowering.

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Structural grasses

and evergreen

hellebores both add

interest in winter

Alchemilla spills over the

edge to soften the line

between the border and

the gravel surface

Evenly spaced silver

birches create an

attractive focal point

Although slow to establish,

the yew hedge will soon

grow up to provide privacy

Epimedium provides

year-round groundcover

in dry shade beneath trees

PRIME PLANTING

WOODLAND

Borders directly beneath trees

tend to be dry and shady, which

limits the range of plants that

will grow there. One solution to

this problem is to prune the trees

regularly to reduce the shade

they cast. You can also improve

the soil by incorporating organic

matter into it, and apply a mulch

each spring to help keep the soil

moist in summer.

KEY INGREDIENTS

1 Taxus baccata (yew)

The traditional dependable conifer

used for dense, evergreen hedges.

2 Epimedium x versicolor ‘Sulphureum’

The evergreen leaves and yellow spring

ﬂowers offer year-round interest.

3 Betula utilis var. jacquemontii

This selection of silver birch is chosen

for its bright white trunk and branches.

4 Viola labradorica

Ideal as a self-seeder, it has pale purple

summer blooms and bronze new leaves.

5 Fargesia nitida

A slow-growing, medium-sized bamboo

that forms an attractive, upright clump.

As one of the more prominent

borders in the main seating area,

it is important that the plants

here give a good show over a long

period. Chris achieved this by

choosing reliable plants that each

ﬂower at slightly different times.

To help ensure a constant display,

feed and water regularly, and

remove any spent ﬂowers.

KEY INGREDIENTS

1 Actaea simplex ‘Brunette’

Combines rich purple foliage with

slender white fall ﬂowers.

2 Alchemilla mollis (Lady’s mantle)

A frothy-ﬂowered ground-cover

perennial with lobed leaves.

3 Helleborus foetidus ‘Wester Flisk Group’

This evergreen has attractive glossy

foliage and ﬂowers from midwinter.

4 Epimedium x versicolor ‘Sulphureum’

An evergreen, groundcover perennial,

with soft yellow ﬂowers in spring.

5 Calamagrostis x acutiﬂora ‘Karl Foerster’

A tall, upright grass, it produces pale

feathery ﬂower spikes in midsummer.

CASE STUDY: PLANTING IN FOCUS

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CHOOSING A STYLE

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IN DESIGN TERMS, STYLE REFERS to the way in which we express ideas

and organize materials, plants, colors, and ornaments to create a composition

that can be understood and appreciated. While some styles are short-lived

fashions, others represent major movements in garden design, each with their

own aims and motives. In classically-inspired formal design, order, repetition,

and axial symmetry are all devices used to create strict visual and spatial

balance. This style dates from antiquity, and even when interpreted for modern

gardens, the basic design principles still apply. In contrast, the Modernist

approach to garden design is more relaxed and informal. It is also constantly

evolving as new ways to achieve design harmony are explored. In essence,

where formal design uses a predictable pattern, Modernism relies on the

unpredictable. Today, many contemporary designers have adapted Modernist

ideas to achieve stylish, clean, and crisp gardens.

Garden styles explained

THE POWER OF PLANTS

Prairie-style planting is

a dramatic way to create

naturalistic swathes of

color over a large area.

SPACE TO PLAY

The open space and minimal

planting in this garden

offer the ﬂexibility to

accommodate many uses.

ECLECTIC INFLUENCES

Combining different design

elements can create a

space that equals more

than the sum of its parts.

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GARDEN STYLES EXPLAINED

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External inﬂuences

Garden styles commonly draw inspiration from cultural or historic reference

points, which give them a particular theme. The aim is to create a stylized

interpretation of reality, rather than an accurate representation. Japanese-style

gardens, for instance, often lack the original philosophical and religious

meaning but are nonetheless atmospheric. Similarly, the traditional cottage

garden is a highly romanticized view of the simpler artisan model.

Broader issues and lifestyle changes have also helped to shape garden design.

The increase in foreign travel has given gardeners a taste for the al fresco life

(as seen in places like the Mediterranean), and for more exotic planting, which

is being used increasingly in city gardens where warm microclimates allow

a broader range of plants to thrive. Meanwhile, concerns about the environment

are driving the use of sustainable materials and gardening for wildlife.

MINIMALISM UPDATED

Modern materials, strong

lines, and understated

planting give this design

a bold, contemporary edge.

IDEAS EXPLORED

Garden style takes ideas

and inspiration from around

the world that can be easily

adapted and recreated.

LEAFY MIX

Plants with colorful and

attractively shaped leaves

lend a lush, exotic look to

contemporary designs.

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